


Carriage Trade

by tiltedsyllogism



Series: 221bs [11]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Disguise, M/M, Prostitution, Rentboys, Victorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 05:50:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4168284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiltedsyllogism/pseuds/tiltedsyllogism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written as part of the Sunday Summer Serial, for Songlin's prompt "rentboy sex in a carriage."</p>
    </blockquote>





	Carriage Trade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [songlin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/songlin/gifts).



> Written as part of the Sunday Summer Serial, for Songlin's prompt "rentboy sex in a carriage."

The beautiful young man followed John into the carriage and sank back into his seat opposite. “It’s a shilling for my hand, two for anything else.”

John closed the carriage door firmly. “I’m not going to pay you for anything.” The prostitute started up, indignant, but John put up a hand. “No, stop, listen. I’m here to offer you a way out.”

“A way out,” the man repeated icily.

“Asylum,” John continued. “We have established a residence…”

The prostitute recoiled. “You’re from the Christian Mission.”

John spread his hands imploringly. “I am only here to offer you another way. I’m not passing judgment on, er….”

John trailed off, but now the young man was leaning toward him, eyes narrowed.

“You mean it, don’t you?” The prostitute’s hostility had evaporated, and he now seemed curious. “Tell me, if you are not concerned to rescue me from a life of sin, what are you doing?”

“There is your health to think of,” replied John. “I am a doctor, and…”

“You’re an invert,” the prostitute declared. “And since Cleveland Street, you are worried about your fellow mandrakes’ misuse of the young.”

John gaped, but the man laughed. “I shan’t tell. I am also in disguise.”

“You are?”

“For a case. But I must also maintain appearances.” He winked. “Shall we get down to business?”

**Author's Note:**

> * The East London Christian Mission was founded in 1865, and in the early 1880s began running asylum houses for poor and vulnerable women, including those that had fallen into prostitution. The name of the organization had already been changed to The Salvation Army, but I figure Sherlock would not want to dignify them with that title.
> 
> * "Cleveland Street" refers to a high-profile scandal in which the police discovered a homosexual brothel staffed primarily by young male postal workers and frequented by some of London's aristocrats. The brothel was, of course, on Cleveland Street in Fitzrovia.
> 
> * Mandrake is a rather delightful Victorian slang term for "dudes who like dudes."
> 
> *** My full-length contribution to the Victorian Summer Serial starts this Sunday! It's a Sherlock/Jungle Book fusion and I am _super_ -excited. If that appeals to you, [subscribe to me](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tiltedsyllogism) to get updates!


End file.
